I have recently spent a month of work with depression and stress related to grief. I returned to work a few weeks ago, I work long thirteen hour days at what is a stressful job helping people with learning disabilities in crisis in a ward setting. I am also struggling to deal with my Mums death last year and the fact Amanda isn’t well. I have tried to carry on blogging but this has drained me and made blogging become a task rather than a pleasure in recent weeks I have always set my bar high of trying to review a 100 books a year and trying to add new countries and bringing the world to everyone. But this last few months I have been running on empty the weather also hasn’t helped I hate hot weather at the best of times a tall slightly overweight chap isn’t built for a heat wave. I had a bad day yesterday at work and its left me drained again and maybe in a negative frame of mind so I think of blogging and I want to but just feel as thou I can’t put my heart into what I am writing. So rather than get rid of all my good work I am taking a long break and returning next month. I am looking forward to the last Karl Ove Novel and the long Await Uwe Johnson Anniversaries translation also books like the Dasa Drndric and Murakami due I feel a break from blogging and the pressure I have been putting myself under to read to keep up the blog. I will still be round twiiter and may visit blogs some more than I have to try and get inspiration.

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Definitely a good plan Stu. Have some time to take of yourself and your loved ones, and read for pleasure without thinking of blogging deadlines. Hopefully you’ll come back in September refreshed and raring to go!

Take care and just read for pleasure or escape Stu, this should always be a space of pleasure and freedom, I’ve had a 2 month break myself as I needed to remove any sense of obligation while I had other things on my mind and also needed to change what kind of things I read about during that time. Sending you and your loved ones healing thoughts.

Please look after yourself. I understand the stresses of grief, worrying about loved ones, working with individuals with emotional and cognitive disabilities and depression. Your endless drive against all odds continually impresses me. No harm in recognizing the need to step back for a bit. In fact, it is healthy and wise. Best wishes to you and yours. See you in September!

Take care. I crashed badly after the death of both my father first, then my mother. Do things you enjoy and when you do come back maybe just share the things you do without such excellent reviews. I find reviewing books hard work so I’d rather just talk about the books I read, the things I do, more like a chat over coffee with a good friend. Things do get better with grief. You just need time and be kind to yourself.

I’m going to miss you, Stu, but I’m pleased to hear that you are going to look after yourself. The fact that people lose their parents every day doesn’t change the fact that it is the most awful thing when it happens to us, and we need to allow as much time as is needed to travel through that part of life’s journey.

In the mean time, look at what you have achieved. When you began, nobody was blogging about translated fiction. Now there are so many of us who discovered TF through your blog and have started reviewing it too. None of us have the breadth and depth of your expertise, none of us have our finger on the pulse quite like you do, and nobody focusses on it in the exclusive way that you have so that there is indeed a ‘home’ for translated fiction. But between us we can carry the flag until you are well again and come back.

Hugs from across the mile to you and Amanda and I hope she is well again soon too.

Do take a much-needed break, Stu, and hope both you and Amanda start feeling better and that the heat subsides as well. You have been doing so much for so long that it’s no wonder that you are feeling drained. We’ll be here when you decide to come back.

I’m sorry to hear you have been having such a rough time, Stu, but it’s important you do what is right for you and if that means taking a step back and having a rest from the blog then that is what you must do. Take good care and we’ll be waiting for you when you return.

I think this is something most (all?) bloggers feel at times, particularly if you have a demanding job as well. I think the idea of reading books you’ve really been looking forward to and taking a break is a good one. Hope you return fully rested.